Zdzislaw Starostecki, a chief designer of the Patriot missile, has died in the United States, Polish Radio reported on Thursday.
Starostecki died at his home in Sarasota, Florida, on New Year's Eve.
Born in Lodz in 1919, Starostecki fought for his country in the ill-fated September Campaign of 1939. As he attempted to flee occupied Poland, he was arrested by the Soviets and given an eight-year- prison sentence. He was dispatched to Siberia where he mined gold in the camp at Kolyma.
Starostecki was released in 1941 following the official amnesty in the wake of Hitler's invasion of Germany. He left the Soviet Union and served with the Polish Second Corps in the Italian Campaign.
After studying in England, he emigrated to the United States with his wife and two sons.
Starostecki was hired by the Defense Department Research and Development Center of the U.S. Army.
During the 1980s, he was one of the chief designers on the Patriot missile program.
"Ironically, the missile that he was instrumental in designing is now due to come to Poland as part of the defense system agreed with the U.S.," the radio said.
MOSCOW/WARSAW, January 6 (RIA Novosti)
